Thread by @mari_ness

Ok, everyone, buckle in, because it's time for a wheelchair update. One that today's mail has made distinctly unpleasant.

#FlyingWhileDisabled

To remind everyone, @AerLingus damaged my wheelchair on my August 6, 2019 flight from Orlando to Berlin.

Two and a half months later, my wheelchair STILL has not been repaired/returned. It's at Browning's, a medical supply store. #FlyingWhileDisabled

@AerLingus After waiting a month for @Aerlingus to submit payment for the wheelchair repair, on October 5, I filed an official complaint with the Commission for Aviation Regulation in Ireland.

@AerLingus The Commission responded to me on October 16, 2019, asking if my wheelchair had been repaired yet. I said no.

Four hours later, I got a voice message from Browning's, asking me to call them.

#FlyingWhileDisabled #AerLingus

@AerLingus I spent the next day trying to reach Browning's by phone, and finally just emailed them. On Friday the 18th, Browning's informed me that the parts for my chair had arrived and I could schedule an appointment for either Oct 31 or Nov 5.

@AerLingus I cancelled an existing appointment on Oct 31 so I could FINALLY GET MY WHEELCHAIR BACK, and told Browning's I would be there.

Then, to be honest, I cried a bit.

#TravelingWhileDisabled

@AerLingus The appointment meant that I would not be getting my wheelchair back for another couple of weeks.

It meant close to three months without my wheelchair, because @AerLingus broke it.

I couldn't bring myself to make a Twitter update, I was so depressed.

@AerLingus Yesterday, I heard back from the Commission for Aviation Regulation, who told me that @AerLingus had told them that Browning's had received the cheque and cashed it the day before (Monday, October 21).

(I'll let everyone just fill in the blanks here.)

@AerLingus Today, the United Postal Service delivered an invoice from Brownings, dated October 17, 2019, in the amount of $45, with the note, "Please make a payment towards the private rental of the wheelchair."

#TravelingWhileDisabled #AerLingus #WTF

@AerLingus If you check the dates, you'll see that @AerLingus stopped payment on the rental wheelchair after FINALLY sending out the check to pay for the wheelchair repair - more than ONE MONTH after they said they were "expediting" the payment.

#TravelingWhileDisabled #AerLingus

@AerLingus I cannot FUCKING BELIEVE that after breaking my wheelchair, providing me with two broken rental wheelchairs, not providing me with ANY replacement wheelchairs for several days, @AerLingus now has the UNMITIGATED GALL to ask me to pay for the rental wheelchair.

@AerLingus (I would apologize for my language here, but no.)

@AerLingus Again, I have been deprived of my customized wheelchair for two and a half months.

My back hurts. My arms hurt. I want my own wheelchair back.

And now I'm getting a bill.

Are you seriously kidding me, @Aerlingus?

#TravelingWhileDisabled

@AerLingus As a point of law, @AerLingus is REQUIRED to provide me with a replacement wheelchair until mine is repaired.

They have failed to do so. And now they're trying to stick me with a bill they should be paying.

#TravelingWhileDisabled

@AerLingus I have yet to receive any compensation from @AerLingus for this.

Even the grossly inadequate $300 travel voucher they promised to send back on September 9th has failed to arrive.

#TravelingWhileDisabled

@AerLingus Summing up: @AerLingus broke my wheelchair 2 1/2 months ago. They left me without a replacement wheelchair for several days. I still don't have my wheelchair back.

And now they are sending ME a bill.